


Dancing with Demons

by WordsandChocolate



Series: London Calling [5]
Category: British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Demons, F/M, Magic, RADAStudent!Benedict Cumberbatch - Freeform, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 15:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3574037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsandChocolate/pseuds/WordsandChocolate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sophie and Ben go on a date. Naturally, it's interrupted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dancing with Demons

**Author's Note:**

> I feel I need to point out that the Sophie in this fic series is not Ben's real-life wife. We in fact came up with this name before we ever knew a real Sophie existed (you can check our first London Calling post if you like). A bizarre coincidence. I swear, if Tom ends up with an actual girlfriend called Amy, I should start hiring out my future-reading services.

It was a pleasant London evening, unspoiled by rain, apart from the occasional light sprinkle. Ben and Sophie ducked outside, laughing breathlessly. Sophie wore her sparkly birthday dress and matching dance shoes- which had been well used this evening. Ben wore a black suit and tie, his short hair starting to lengthen and curl. He took Sophie’s hand as they walked together beneath the streetlamps.

“That was fun,” Sophie said, smiling up into Ben’s face.

Ben felt his heart beat a little faster as he took in her sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks. Taking Sophie swing dancing was his best date idea ever. Thankfully he’d been practising similar dances in theatre classes, or Sophie would left him behind. She was still more skilled than he was, he needed to improve so he could lead her better.

“We’ll have to do it again,” he replied, and was rewarding with a dazzling smile.

Yep, best idea ever. He pondered whether to head back to his place, or HQ. His place would be more private, as Tom had promised to stay away until late. But that kind of setting might be too intimate for Sophie. He didn’t want to scare her off. These decisions never used to be so hard! Maybe he should just ask her. He wriggled his shoulders absently as they prickled, and a line of unease ran cold fingers down his spine. Sophie stopped.

“Ben do you feel that?”

“Crap,” Ben muttered, realising what it was.

Demons have the worst timing. Quickly he scanned his surroundings, like Buffy had taught them. Look for somewhere to fight, make them come to you on your terms. He spotted a nearby alleyway with a fire escape leading to the roof. Perfect.

“This way,” he said, pulling Sophie along and protecting her back as they climbed the stairs.

Summoning his bow and quiver, he stood near the edge of the roof and took aim, straining into the dimly lit darkness for a glimpse of them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sophie summon her dagger. She moved to stand next to him.

“Better get behind me,” Ben advised, keeping his attention on the ground.

He heard Sophie sigh.

“Ben, how do you think you’re going to be able to use your bow if they’re in close range? I need to see them coming so I can shield you, or something else.”

He felt uncomfortable with the something else. Sophie’s dagger had a short range, and he didn’t like the idea of her getting up close and personal with the demons. Something moved in the shadows down in the alley, drawing Ben’s attention. Finally they moved closer to a nearby streetlight, and he could see them more clearly.

A group of demons were clustered in the alley now. They were skeletal, roughly humanoid, but with an extra arm protruding from their neck. They made a chittering noise, like broken glass crunching underfoot. Their grey leathery skin was stretched tightly over bones. Yellow eyes gleamed above rectangular teeth-filled mouths as they lifted their heads up to look around. Ben took the shot, filling the air with a whoosh and a thud as the arrow hit the forehead of one of the demons.

It shook its head angrily, and the next arrow made a squelching thud as it embedded itself in an eye. It fell over and lay still. The others chittered loudly, their yellow eyes glaring at Ben’s as they spotted him and began to move to the fire escape stairs.

Ben concentrated on keeping his magic synched with his arrows, making sure each shot found an eye. He felled four of the demons before they reached the fire escape. Two more as they climbed. He started backing away from the top of the stairs as they appeared, loosing more arrows. Two more down. Three made it to the roof, and Sophie stepped past Ben, dagger raised, her mouth set in a determined line.

The first demon lunged for her, all three arms outstretched, finger elongating into claws. Ben pushed Sophie aside and used his bow to block the demon’s strike. The third arm, however, lashed out and slashed into Ben’s leg. He groaned as a hot streak of pain lanced up his leg, before he felt Sophie’s power touch him, and the rest of the demon’s claws rebounded from his leg.

“You idiot!” Sophie scolded, slashing at Ben’s demon with her glowing dagger.

It collapsed to the ground as Sophie sucked its life energy out in a rush. She grabbed Ben’s arm and he swayed as he was suddenly hit with a surge of power, streaming through him straight to his leg. The wound healed up so fast that it hurt. Sophie twisted away as the second demon approached her and tried to grab her, ducking under his arms and twirling neatly to the side.

“Disrupt my shielding like that again Benedict and we’ll have a problem,” Sophie said, through gritted teeth.

The third demon stepped over the first one’s still body, Ben moving back and sending his bow away as he kept out of the range of his arms. Lifting his hands, he concentrated, and pushed the demon back with a hard rush of air. He risked a quick glance at Sophie, who was still dodging and ducking and twirling gracefully. She swept her dagger in a slashing arc and cut across the back of the demon’s knees. The demon’s collapse was quick, and Sophie glowed with life energy.

Seeming to sense his gaze, she met his eyes for a second, then paled.

“Ben!”

Ben felt the rush of air and fell back, hitting the ground as the arms of the third demon passed over. He had moved quicker than Ben had expected. Drawing on his magic, he pushed a surge of air into the body of the demon as it bent over him. It fell back, and Ben stood, continuing the barrage of air until the demon reached the edge and fell from the roof. It hit the ground with a satisfying thud, and stopped moving.

Ben let himself sink to the ground with a tired sigh, and Sophie rushed over to him. Her hairstyle was a little mussed, but her dress was unmarked, he thought a little blearily. That was good. The demons shouldn’t be allowed to mess up her birthday dress.

“Ben!”

“What?”

Sophie had bent over him. Her soft lips were pressed together, her eyebrows furrowed. She looked worried. She shouldn’t look worried. Sophie was too pretty and lovely to be worried. Ben raised a finger and tried to smooth the worried furrow above her nose. He kept missing.

“I’m a’right Sophie, it’s okay.”

She gave him an exasperated look.

“You’re not even hearing me, are you?”

She cupped his cheek, and slammed a surge of her magic into him, chasing the cobwebs from his brain. It was rather like getting a jolt of coffee mixed with an ice cream induced brain freeze. Ben blinked.

“Wow.”

“I think there was something on the claws,” Sophie said. “You went all funny. I just burned out whatever the poison was.”

She frowned at him, her brown eyes holding his gaze.

“If you hadn’t pushed me out of the way and disrupted my shield, that wouldn’t have happened. Why did you do that?”

Ben flushed, looking away.

“Um...I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“I wasn’t going to get hurt Ben, I was shielding. When you pushed me, you broke my concentration and we could have both got hurt. Do you think that’s a good move?”

“No. But-“

“Am I part of the team?”

“Of course you are.”

“Then don’t treat me like a civilian,” she replied softly, but firmly.

“I wasn’t treating you like a civilian, I was treating you like a girlfriend!” Ben blurted out.

He ran a hand through his hair, cursing his lack of filter. That wasn’t how he’d planned to say it. Sophie blushed, then looked annoyed, finally hovering on amused. She let out a sigh.

“I guess we haven’t really talked about this.”

“The girlfriend bit? Or the other thing?”

“Any of the things.”

Ben took a breath, trying to calm himself and gather his thoughts. He smiled at Sophie, and took her hand.

“Sophie, I like you. You know that, yeah? I would like to have more dates. With you. On a regular basis. If you are okay with it, I’d like to be your boyfriend.”

Sophie’s eyes softened.

“I am more than okay with that. But you can’t do what you did in the fight again. Trust me to ask you when I need help. Otherwise, assume I’ve got it under control.”

Ben nodded reluctantly. Sophie tugged him to his feet, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He put his arms around her, and laid a kiss onto her hair. She felt soft and warm and lovely. And shaky.

“Are you all right?”

“Fine, it’s just the after battle nerves. We should call the clean-up crew.”

“One moment.”

Ben tilted her chin up to his, and gave her a gentle kiss. Sophie hummed happily, and moved her arms up to his neck, pulling him closer for a longer and a less gentle kiss that left both of them panting. She pulled back slightly, smiling.

“I’m hungry now. Are you hungry?”

Ben grinned, high on adrenalin and kisses.

“Yes and yes. I’ll make the call, then eat? I know a good late night coffee and chocolate place.”

“Sounds like a delicious plan.”


End file.
